Liberia: Senator Saytumah Is confident of winning re-election in Bomi County even without Unity Party’s Support
MONROVIA – Senator G. Morris Saytumah is one of the eight Senators of the opposition Unity Party (UP) suspended for going against the party’s mandate not to impeach the then Supreme Court Associate Justice Kabineh Ja’neh in 2018.
Since 2014, the political marriage between Saytumah and the former ruling UP, a party on which he was elected as senator of Bomi County has been sour and unfriendly, but the Bomi County lawmaker still sees himself as a UP partisan but doesn’t believe that his re-election bid depends on his relations with the UP.
Henry Kanry Karmo [email protected]
“I am a Unity Party partisan, whether I will go to elections on a party’s ticket that is yet to be decided,” he said.
According to Senator Saytumah, despite being a partisan of the UP, he is not hoping to contest on the ticket of the Party, especially with the sour relationship and according to him, a decision hasn’t been made whether or not he will contest as a party candidate or not.
When asked about his chances of getting re-election? He said: “I don’t want to be optimistic but I am not also a pessimist. What I know is that if you work and people appreciate your work, you can win. I am one lawmaker who has ensured on finishing my deliverables in every part of Bomi as I promised. I have built schools, a town hall, and completed other projects as promised.”
Despite his optimism, Senator Saytumah believes in dealing with his opponents with mutual respect because, according to him, the election is a race where anyone can win, and being aware of such, he will treat every contestant with respect and seriousness.
Speaking at the official dedication of a resource center in Tubmanburg Bomi County, he said, the project is among three other headquarters constructed and simultaneously dedicated in the county and it will serve as a resource center for citizens of Bomi county.
Optimistic about Snowe support
When asked if he has the support of Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe? He said: “I will hesitate to say yes and also hesitate to say no. My speculation is that the fact that Senator Snowe and I work so closely and he has confided in me certain things, I think under hundred percent presumption I believe he is supporting me.”
Growing Snowe influence in Bomi County
Snowe has proven his influence in past elections in the county when he picked and supported Finda Gborie Lansanah, widow of the late Senator Lahai Lansanah, who ran as an independent in District #1 by-election and won.
Snowe entry into Bomi County Politics
After serving two terms in the lower House as Representative for District 6, Montserrado County, Sen. Snowe changed his domicile to Bomi, in a controversial decision that took him all the way to the Supreme Court.
After a lengthy battle, the high court ruled that there was no law barring Snowe, then a sitting member of the lower house, in District #6 Montserrado County from contesting in Sinje District of Bomi County in Western Liberia, where the Senator has a home and a farm.
The court out rightly dismissed two similar cases separately filed by two Bomi lawmakers against Mr. Snowe’s political transfer to another county.
Reading the Court’s Opinion on Tuesday, 5 September, Chief Justice Francis S. Korkpor, Sr. said the Court cannot ascribe lawmaking to itself, encouraging lawmakers here to consider reviewing the laws if their intent is to restrict serving lawmakers to their constituency which may not allow contesting in different constituencies.